How to Enjoy Food and Eat Without Guilt

It’s hard to keep your diet in check when you’re out enjoying a meal with friends and loved ones. And let’s face it, you tend to overeat when dining out or when in good company. The fact is, you can enjoy your meal and have zero guilt. It’s just about being smart about certain choices you make when you’re eating. In today’s post, we are listing down practical ways to enjoy your food without feeling guilty:

Hold the Starters

If you can’t dine out without ordering starters, now’s the best time to wean yourself off this bad habit. You are consuming unwanted calories from appetizers like soups, salads or fried mozzarella sticks. Don’t think salads are all healthy. Some contain more calories than your average quarter pounder! If you’re watching what you eat, go straight to the main course. This way, you consume fewer calories.

Chew Slowly

Don’t underestimate the weight loss benefits of chewing slowly. The brain takes at least 20 minutes to signal the body that it’s full. If you wolf down that burrito in two minutes or less, you are taking in at least a hundred extra calories. When you chew slowly, you will feel fuller faster. And in the middle of eating, you’ll find that you don’t have to eat everything on your plate to feel satiated. This saves you from unwanted calories.

The main point of enjoying food is to sit down, eat a meal and savor the flavor. You can’t savor the flavors if you stuffed the food in your face within seconds of sitting down.

Splitting Meals

If you are often dining out with friends, co-employees or your significant other, make it a habit to split meals. Splitting your meals is kind on the pocket and the waistline too! Eating in controlled portions satisfies the brain without consuming more calories. So don’t forget to share. If you’re eating a steak on your own, you could be consuming extra 300 calories.

Get a Smaller Plate

Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. And it’s hard to track the food we eat when we dine in groups. A great way to control portions is to use a smaller plate. When the plate is small, you won’t be able to fit massive portions of food. The small plate looks full and this fools the brain into thinking that it’s eating more than it actually is!

Load up on Greens

Vegetables are high in essential nutrients including fiber. Fiber keeps the heart healthy. It also bulks up the stool and cleanses the colon. These contribute to weight loss. Even better, fiber also keeps you feeling fuller for longer. When you’re satiated, you are less likely to make bad food choices.

Taking Short Walks

Don’t get stuck in your desk after a large meal. Go out and use your break for a short walk. Walking for at least 30 minutes burn off around 100 calories. You burn more if you brisk walk. If walking is not your cup of tea, why not perform a lunch workout?

Lunch workout is comprised of high-intensity exercises that burn off fat and torch calories in just 20 minutes or less.